A fragile, broken thing
by SiriusQrow84
Summary: "Are you telling me what to do now? When your psychotic, mass-murdering girlfriend has got my dad somewhere tied up waiting to be ritually sacrificed?" Stiles had blurted it out, and he looked like he meant every word. Which led Derek to use it to his advantage.


**AN:** "Are you telling me what to do now? When your psychotic, mass-murdering girlfriend has got my dad somewhere tied up waiting to be ritually sacrificed?" Stiles had blurted it out, and he looked like he meant every word. Which led Derek to use it to his advantage. Notes: Based off of the confrontation between Stiles and Derek in Episode 10, "The Overlooked." ~ "Are you telling me...ritually sacrificed?" is an actual line in the episode. I do not own the characters.

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"Stiles, I'm not going to tell you again," Derek said, rubbing his temples in frustration as Stiles folded his arms. They stood in an empty section of the hospital, just far enough to be out of Scott's hearing range - and the Alphas' for the matter. Derek could sense them in the hospital, could feel their presence, knew they were lurking anywhere and everywhere. And they wanted her. Jennifer. She was the Darach and they wanted her. But something in Derek couldn't find it imaginable to hand her over, no matter how much evil she had done.

"We're not handing her over, Stiles," Derek said, "not when she's this valuable."

"I don't care how valuable she may be, Derek," Stiles said, his heartbeat rising, "she threw a freaking dagger at my dad. It was lodged in his chest - thank God, it didn't hit the heart - but she _threw_ it, Derek, and you know she did. I don't care if she has the master plan to happiness. She's going to the Alphas. Tonight."

Derek couldn't believe how forceful Stiles was attempting to be, how cold the words that flew out of his mouth were. The youth's amber eyes locked steady on Derek's, as if he were testing the Alpha to a game of dominance.

"Stiles," Derek began, "I know this may be your best plan of action, but it's not happening. She's not going to the Alphas. She's staying with us. We're gonna get her out of here, you're gonna help, and you're gonna shut up about taking her to them. You got that?"

"Are you telling me what to do now? When your psychotic, mass-murdering girlfriend has got my dad somewhere tied up waiting to be ritually sacrificed?" Stiles had blurted it out, and he looked like he meant every word. Which led Derek to use it to his advantage. He reached for the throat with his right hand, gripped the small of Stiles' back with his left. He sent the youth into the air and pushed him against the wall. Stiles jerked forward, coughed as Derek's fingers gripped around his throat. Derek watched as Stiles' face lost its assertive wrinkles and eased into the scared teenager who had found that body in the woods so long ago.

"You _don't_ argue with me, alright?" Derek said, "I already got enough to deal with, and I'm not going to let some kid push me around. I don't answer to you."

"Is that all I am to you, Derek?" Stiles managed to ask through gasps, "just a kid? I thought we were friends." Derek loosened his grip; Stiles took in a large gulp of air. He continued. "If anything, _we understand each other_. No one's gone through what we've been through. Me with my mom, and you with your family. You got Cora back, and even though Peter's a pain, he's still your family. My dad's the only biological family I have left, Derek. Are you really going to deprive me of the privelege of having a family?"

"We'll find a way to get him out, Stiles," Derek said, tension letting go of his voice, " - we just can't give Jennifer over to the Alphas."

"Derek -" Stiles said. There was something about the way he said his name, as if he was on the brink of tearing up, " - we have to let her go. It's the only way to save my dad. Please, if you don't do anything else for me, give me the enjoyment of knowing that you actually care for once." Thoughts flooded Derek's mind, good thoughts, bad thoughts, all thoughts in between. "Derek, _please_ ," Stiles said, the tears welling now, "he's my dad. I can't just let him go like that."

Derek's muscles relaxed as he dropped Stiles to his feet. Stiles began to recollect himself, felt the marks around his neck that Derek had left.

"I'll do it," Derek said. Stiles felt a cold chill run down his spine as the pained look in Derek's eyes caught his glance. There was a small exchange between the two of them, something that couldn't be voiced, but was surely felt. They couldn't even say another thing; they just walked back to Scott and Jennifer in silence. But even the silence couldn't stop Stiles from remembering the way Derek had handled him. He knew what it was like to love someone and lose them. He just wished that it didn't always have to come to Derek.


End file.
